PHILADELPHIA - Just when you thought it couldn't happen again, it did. For the fourth time, junior captain
Brandon Bartel connected with sophomore defender
Alex Touche, who headed home the golden-goal winner for the University of Pennsylvania men's soccer team, pushing the Quakers past Harvard in the season finale for both teams.
PENN NOTES
*Touche's goal is his fifth of the season. The sophomore finishes the year leading Penn with 10 points on those five goals. Four of his five scores have come on assists from set pieces from Bartel and his three game-winning tallies are good for second-most in the Ivy League.
*Bartel finishes the year with six assists for Penn. The junior sits first in the Ivy League in the category as Penn's primary set-piece operator.
*The Quakers went into overtime in 12 of their 16 matches this season. Four of Penn's five wins on the year came past the 90-minute mark.
*Senior goalkeeper
Scott Forbes tallied 1,614:36 minutes in between the pipes this season, ranking third-most in Penn's single season history.
*Penn's seven shutouts on the season are the most in the Ivy League and most for the program since 2010.
*With the result, Penn finishes with seven points in the Ivy League, good for sixth overall.
*Saturday's match also served as Senior Night for six Quakers, as
Gavin Barger,
Jerel Blades,
Scott Forbes,
Etan Mabourakh,
Erumuse Momoh and
Joe Swenson all played in their final games for the Red and Blue.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Following the annual Senior Night ceremonies, play seemed to go the way of the Crimson early.
While Penn was able to get a number of shots off, none were with great space, and Harvard continuously tried to press the Quaker's defense, but themselves couldn't get many good looks on goal. After a late chance from Touche off a corner kick with just 12 seconds remaining in the half, the teams entered the break scoreless.
The Red and Blue came out firing, notching five shots in the first 10 minutes, including a beautiful chance from
Joey Bhangdia that was saved by the Harvard keeper. Behind a myriad of corner kicks late in regulation, Penn would continue to apply the pressure on the visiting team, as sophomores
Wes Maki and
Jake Kohlbrenner both landed shots on goal, but the Crimson netminder continued to stay up to the task.
The Quakers knew they controlled the run of play in most of the match, and it showed in the stats. The Red and Blue were unable to find the winner in the first overtime period, but it didn't take long in the second, as Bartel set up in his comfort zone, just past midfield for a free kick. His high, looping ball found the head of Touche like a magnet, and the sophomore didn't disappoint, sending Penn home a winner in its final contest.
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